Understanding Workplace Violence in ED: The Maternity Nurses' Experience Using Descriptive Phenomenology

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Workplace violence (WPV) is a pervasive global issue in healthcare, disproportionately affecting emergency departments (EDs).
• Attitudes towards WPV are evolving, with significant prevalence reported in culturally diverse regions like the Middle East.
• EDs are identified as primary sites for WPV incidents, necessitating focused research on specific nursing groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experiences of maternity nurses with workplace violence in a tertiary care setting.
• To identify the key themes and subthemes associated with WPV in the ED.
• To inform the development of targeted interventions and policies to mitigate WPV.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive phenomenology approach was employed.
• Fifteen emergency department nurses with confirmed WPV reports were interviewed using semistructured guides.
• Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's thematic analysis method to ensure rigor.

Main Results:

• Five major themes emerged, including verbal aggressiveness, sociocultural influences, misaligned expectations, adaptive strategies, and resource management.
• Ten subthemes further detailed the complex nature of WPV experienced by maternity nurses.
• Findings highlight the interplay of system, situation, and contextual factors contributing to WPV.

Conclusions:

• Workplace violence in maternity settings is driven by a combination of system-based, situation-grounded, and contextual factors.
• The study underscores the urgent need for a zero-tolerance policy for WPV in healthcare.
• Prioritizing the safety of women and children in maternity settings is paramount, requiring comprehensive WPV prevention strategies.